Air diffuser



E. H. PERSON 3,276,349

AIR ADIFFUSER 5 Sheets-Sheet l Oct. 4, 1966 Filed Aug. 27, 1964 mm lillii wm mm ov mm Oct. 4, 1966 E. H. PERSON 3,276,349

AIR DIFFUSER Filed Aug. 27, 1964 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Oct. 4, 1966 Filed Aug. 2'?, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 E. H. PERSON 3,276,349

AIR DIFFUSER United States Patent O 3,276,349 AIR DIFFUSER Ernest Hjalmar Person, New Britain, Conn., assignor to Allied Thea-mai Corporation, New Britain, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Filed Aug. 27, 1964, Ser. No. 392,463 2 Claims. (Cl. 98--40) This is la continuation-in-part of copending application Serial No. 372,776 filed June 5, 1964.

The present invention relates to air diffusers, and more particularly to air diffusers of the slot type in which the air outlet is in the form of an elongated slot.

Many forms of air diffusing devices have been used to supply air from a heating or cooling system to a room. Slot-type diffusers in which the air emitting opening is an elongated slot have been found particularly desirable for certain types of installations, especially where the air outlet is to be flush with a ceiling surface or in association with a conventional troffer light fixture for diffusing air along the lateral edge of the fixture.

The principal object of the present invention has been the provision of a novel and improved slot-type air diffuser.

Another object of the invention has been the provision of .a novel and improved slot-type air diffuseradapted for mounting with the air outlet flush or substantially flush with a ceiling or other wall surface and which permits convenient adjustment of the direction of air flow.

A further object of the invention has been the provision of such a diffuser which is especially adapted for use with a treffer lighting fixture.

Other and further objects, features and advantages of the invention will appear more fully from the following description taken in connection with the appended drawings, n which:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view -of one form of slot-type air diffuser embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the diffuser of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view, taken from the rear, of the diffuser of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 s a right-side elevational View of the diffuser of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view corresponding to a portion of FIG. 5 and showing the `air pattern directing element in a different position from that shown in FIG. 5; and

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating the air pattern directing unit and its mounting brackets.

Referring now to the drawings, the air diffuser illustrated is of a type suitable for attachment to the side of a treffer lighting fixture or for independent mounting in the space above a false or suspended ceiling.

The diffuser has an elongated hollow housing or body, preferably made of sheet metal, and comprising a front wall 2G, a rear wall 21, a top wall 22, a bottom wall 23, and a pair of end walls 24 and 25. The front and rear walls and 21 may be considered as relatively long side walls joined by relatively short end walls 24 and 25. The walls 20-23 may be formed from a single strip of sheet metal or from two or more strips suita-bly joined. The walls 20-23 are formed by suitably bending the sheet metal, the free ends being locked together by means of an inturned ange 26 on top wall 22 bent over a rearwardly projecting flange 27 of rear wall 21. The walls 20-23 may be of `any desired length, but typically will be from 2 to 4 feet in length.

The end walls 24 and 25 are recessed slightly into the housing and are held in place in the housing by means of ICC projecting tabs 28 which extend through corresponding holes in the housing and which are bent over, as best shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.

An elongated rectangular slot 29 is provided in bottom wall 23. The slot 29 preferably extends continuously from end Wall 24 to end wall 25. The slot 29 serves to discharge air from the diffuser and hence the diffuser is preferably mounted so that slot 29 is substantially Hush with the ceiling surface of the room being ventilated. Of Course, there may be a minor spacing between slot 29 and the ceiling, e.g., the thickness of the side flange of a troffer housing. Typically, the slot 29 might have a width of 7A6, while the bottom wall 23 from the -adjacent edge of slot 29 to rear wall 21 might have a width of Mt". The foregoing and other dimensions set forth herein are given only by way of example and should not be taken as limiting the invention.

Rear wall 21 is divided into an upper portion 30 and a lower portion 31 by a horizontal shoulder 32, affording an upper chamber 33 and a lower chamber 34. Typically, the upper chamber 33 might have a width (front to back) of 1%, while the lower chamber 34 might have a width of 34. Typically, the overall height yof the housing might be 7%", while the height of the chamber 34 might be 4% A pair of fiat spacer plates 35 and 36, best shown in FIG. 3, are mounted between front wall 20 and rear wall 21 at intermediate points along the length of the housing. The plates 35 and 36 `are held in place by projecting tabs 37, which extend through holes in the front and rear walls and are bent over. The spacer plates 35 and 36 -are located substantially above bottom wall 23 but beneath shoulder 32.

A second pair of fiat spacer plates 38 and 39, best shown in FIG. 7, are mounted between front wall 20 and rear wall 21 adjacent the end walls 24 and 25, respectively. The plates 38 and 39 are held in place by projecting tabs 40, which extend through holes in the front and rear walls and are bent over. The plates 38 and 39 extend from bottom wall 23 to a point slightly below shoulder 32, as is best shown in FIG. 5. Spacers 38 and 39 have axially extending vertical flange extensions 41 and 42, respectively, which lie along lower portion 31 of rear wall 21 from bottom wall 23 to a point just beneath the adjacent tab 40.

Spacers 38 and 39 are provided with laterally extending slots 43 and 44, respectively, which extend completely across the spacers except for narrow webs lying along rear wall 21. The anges 41 and 42 serve to strengthen the spacers 38 and 39 in the region of the slots 43 and 44.

The bottom of slot 43 is defined by a semi-circular wall 45 and a generally horizontal wall 46 joined by a peak 47 and an arcuate segment 48. The bottom of slot 44 likewise is defined by a semi-circular wall 49 and a generally horizontal wall 50 joined by a peak 51 and an arcuate segment 52. The corresponding parts of the slots 43 and 44 are in axial alignment. Walls 46 and 50 are preferably slightly lower than the lowest points of walls 45 and 49. This difference in elevation might be 1/32". Walls 46 and 50 might be located %2" above the plane of the top surface of bottom wall 32.

A hollow defiector tube 53 extends substantially from end wall 24 to end wall 25. The deliector tube 53 extends through slots 43 and 44 and is adapted to be supported on aligned surfaces 46, 48 and 50, 52, as shown in FIG. 5, or on aligned surfaces 45 and 49, as shown in FIG. 6. When in the FIG. 5 position, the tube 53 preferably contacts, or substantially contacts, front wall 20. When in the FIG. 6 position, the tube 53 preferably contacts, or substantially contacts, the rear wall lower portion 31.

Tube 53 is held in the FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 positions thereof, respectively, by a pair of deformable springs S4 and 55. The springs 54 and 55, which are preferably made of spring wire, are held, respectively, in brackets 56 and 57 provided in the faces of plates 38 and 39, respectively. The brackets 38 and 39 may conveniently be struck out of the surfaces of the plates 38 and 39. Adjacent the free ends of the springs 54 and 55 there are provided bends to retain the springs in the brackets, as best shown in FIG. 7. The lower portions of the springs are generally U-shaped and extend downwardly and axially to contact the tube 53 and restrain the latter against movement. By insertion of a screwdriver or similar tool through slot 29 and exerting force on the side of tube 53, the tube 53 may be moved from the FIG. 5 to the FIG. 6 positions and vice versa. The center of the U-shaped portion of each of the springs 54 and 55 is located above the corresponding one of peaks 47 and 49. As a result, the inclined portions of the springs urge the tube -53 both downwardly and toward the adjacent housing wall, in FIG. 5 and 31 in FIG. 6. The tube 53 preferably has a diameter slightly less than one-half the spacing between front wall 20 and rear wall lower portion 31; typically, the diameter of turbe 53 might be 5%6.

Front wall 20 -is provided with a centrally located oval opening 58 in which is mounted an oval air inlet tube or `duct 59. The duct 59 has a radially extending ange 60 which may be welded or otherwise aiixed to front wall 20. The duct 59 is intended to communicate with a supply of conditioned air, e.g., a main or branch duct, by any suitable coupling (not shown). An adjustable damper 61 is pivotally mounted in duct 59 and may be shifted to any position between the open position shown in full lines -in FIG. 5 and the closed position shown in dotted lines in FIG. 5. A hook formation 62 at one end of damper 61 facilitates adjustment of damper 61 .by means of a tool inserted through slot Z9. The damper 61 is retained tightly in duct 59 so that the damper will stay in whatever positioned it is placed.

Air entering the housing through duct 59 passes through chambers 33 and 34 and leaves the housing through slot 29. With deflector tube 53 in the position shown in FIG. 5, the air stream will contact deflector tube 53 and be deflected into contact with bottom wall 23, and the resultant flow will be toward the left and generally `along -the room ceiling, as shown by arrow 63 in FIG. 5. With the deector tube 53 in the position shown in FIG. 6, the air ow through slot 29 will be directly downwards, as shown by arrow 64 in FIG. 6, since tube 53 will prevent substantial Contact of air with wall 23.

It is desirable that the tube 53 lie closely adjacent the housing front and rear walls in the respective positions thereof to prevent substantial passage of air between the deilector tube and the adjacent housing front or rear wall. Such passage of air will tend to disrupt the desired air pattern which should be either horizontal, as in FIG. 5, or vertical, as in FIG. 6.

If desired, two or more axially arranged tubes 53 may be provided in the housing to separately control ILO .air passage through axially spaced sections of the houslng.

If desired, the lowerA chamber 34 may be connected directly to an air duct or other source of air, thus eliminating the chamber 33 and associated parts.

While the invention has beeen described in connection with a specific embodiment thereof and in a specific use, various modiiications thereof will occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An air diffuser, comprising a housing having a pair of relatively long side walls, a pair of relatively short end walls connecting said side walls and a bottom wall, said bottom wall having an elongated rectangular slot extending substantially from one end wall to the other end wall and from one of said side walls toward the other of said side walls, the portion of said bottom wall between the other of said side walls and said slot forming an elongated air-deflecting lip, means in said housing for admitting conditioned air under pressure into said housing whereby air will be discharged from said housing through said slot in said bottom wall, and means selectively to alter the pattern of air discharged through said slot comprising an elongated cylindrical deilector element having a diameter greater than the width of said lip, a pair of axially spaced support elements interconnecting said side walls and each having an -opening extending substantially from one side wall to the other adjacent to but above said bottom wall, said openings freely accommodating said deiiector element and having bottom `eongiurations arranged to support said deflector element selectively in irst and second positions thereof, said deector element in said rst position thereof overlying said slot and being substantially in contact with said one side wall whereby air passing through said housing toward said slot will be deflected by contact with said deflector element onto said lip and will exit from said slot substantially in a horizontal direction, said deflector element in said second position thereof overlying said lip and being substantially in contact with said other side wall whereby air passing through said housing toward said slot will not come into substantial contact with said lip and ywill ex-it from said slot substantially in a vertical direction, and resilient means releasably to retain said deflector element in said respective positions thereof.

2. An air diffuser as set forth in claim 1 in which said resilient means comprises a pair of spring wires each attached to a respective one of said support elements and contacting said deflector element to urge the latter toward the bottom of said opening and toward the adjacent side wall.

No references cited.

ROBERT A. OLEARY, Primary Examiner. JOHN F. OCONNOR, Examiner. 

1. AN AIR DIFFUSER, COMPRISING A HOUSING HAVING A PAIR OF RELATIVELY LONG SIDE WALLS, A PAIR OF RELATIVELY SHORT END WALLS CONNECTING SAID SIDE WALLS AND A BOTTOM WALL, SAID BOTTOM WALL HAVING AN ELONGATED RECTANGULAR SLOT EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY FROM ONE END WALL TO THE OTHER END WALL AND FROM ONE OF SAID SIDE WALLS TOWARD THE OTHER OF SAID SIDE WALLS, THE PORTION OF SAID BOTTOM WALL BETWEEN THE OTHER OF SAID SIDE WALLS AND SAID SLOT FORMING AN ELONGATED AIR-DEFLECTING LIP, MEANS IN SAID HOUSING FOR ADMITTING CONDITIONED AIR UNDER PRESSURE INTO SAID HOUSING WHEREBY AIR WILL BE DISCHARGED FROM SAID HOUSING THROUGH SAID SLOT IN SAID BOTTOM WALL, AND MEANS SELECTIVELY TO ALTER THE PATTERN OF AIR DISCHARGED THROUGH SAID SLOT COMPRISING AN ELONGATED CYLINDRICAL DEFLECTOR ELEMENT HAVING A DIAMETER GREATER THAN THE WIDTH OF SAID LIP, A PAIR OF AXIALLY SPACED SUPPORT ELEMENTS INTERCONNECTING SAID SIDE WALLS AND EACH HAVING AN OPENING EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY FROM ONE SIDE WALL TO THE OTHER ADJACENT TO BUT ABOVE SAID BOTTOM WALL, SAID OPENINGS FREELY ACCOMMODATING SAID DEFLECTOR ELEMENT AND HAVING BOTTOM CONFIGURATIONS ARRANGED TO SUPPORT SAID DEFLECTOR ELEMENT SELECTIVELY IN FIRST AND SECOND POSITIONS THEREOF, SAID DEFLECTOR ELEMENT IN SAID FIRST POSITION THEREOF OVERLYING SAID SLOT AND BEING SUBSTANTIALLY IN CONTACT WITH SAID ONE SIDE WALL WHEREBY AIR PASSING THROUGH SAID HOUSING TOWARD SAID SLOT WILL BE DEFLECTED BY CONTACT WITH SAID DEFLECTOR ELEMENT ONTO SAID LIP AND WILL EXIT FROM SAID SLOT SUBSTANTIALLY IN A HORIZONTAL DIRECTION, SAID DEFLECTOR ELEMENT IN SAID SECOND POSITION THEREOF OVERLYING SAID LIP AND BEING SUBSTANTIALLY IN CONTACT WITH SAID OTHER SIDE WALL WHEREBY AIR PASSING THROUGH SAID HOUSING TOWARD SAID SLOT WILL NOT COME INTO SUBSTANTIAL CONTACT WITH SAID LIP AND WILL EXIT FROM SAID SLOT SUBSTANTIALLY IN A VERTICAL DIRECTION, AND RESILIENT MEANS RELEASABLY TO RETAIN SAID DEFLECTOR ELEMENT IN SAID RESPECTIVE POSITIONS THEREOF. 